Heater



jam 33 i942. P. P. sca-mmm HEATER Filed Feb. 17, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l .l mi,

Paul P. Scheur-er Jan. 13, 1942; P. P. scHURER 2,269,487

HEATER 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 Pal P cheurer l0 4Z. ATTORNEY.

atented Jan. 13, 1942 HEATER Paul P.

Scheurer, Wichita Falls, Tex., assigner to F. A. F. Heater Corporation,

Dallas, Tex.

Application February 17, 1939, Serial No. 257,006

I Cl. 126-116) Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in hot air heaters of the type used for heating houses and buildings, and employing a liquid or gaseous fuel.

Heating systems that have been in use heretofore for heating houses and buildings have been large and bulky and their installation has presented a difcult problem, particularly where the use thereof was not contemplated when the building was constructed. Hot air heaters provided heretofore have not had provision for obtaining maximum efiiciency in the heating of the air.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of the heater to obtain maximum efficiency with maximum heating surface in proportion to the size of the heating unit and yet with a simplicity of structure that it may be manufactured at minimum cost. Provision' is made for flow of the incoming air in an opposite direction to the flow of the heating media in a heat exchange relation therebetween which will effectively transfer the heat from one to the other in a minimum of size and construction that renders the unit highly practical and elective in use.

This heater is primarily adapted for installation in the iioor or other available space, even in a closet, and due to its compactness, it is particularly desirable as a heating unit for a house or building where such an installation was not planned during the construction of the building, but it may be set in place to withdraw air from the building, heat the same and direct it back to the same or another part of the building.

The invention utilizes a fan arranged within the flow of air which will create a proper and desired circulation, but the fan is so mounted in the heater that its bearings are arranged externally of the heating point where they are not subject to a substantial amount of heat.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the heater with a portion of the grill broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View therethrough substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view therethrough substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of the heater with parts broken away and in section and other parts shown diagrammatically; and

Fig. 5 is a section through the telescoped conduits on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The invention is shown as embodied in a heater adapted for installation in the floor where an opening is made through the floor and the unit suspended therein. When it is installed in a house or building having no basement, a space beneath the floor may be excavated sufficiently to accommodate the depth and size of the unit and suitable connections made therewith.

The heater has an outer casing I over which is mounted a grill 2 which is preferably flush with the floor but arranged so that the air passage therethrough is not obstructed.

Within the casing I is mounted a combustion chamber 3 having a liquid or gaseous fuel burner 4 mounted in the lower part thereof. This is preferably a gaseous fuel burner, and is shown as provided with the usual thermo-control valve 5 and pilot light Ii. A manual control valve'1 is arranged in the fuel supply pipe 8, while a pilot control valve 9 is arranged within an auxiliary fuel line I0 that supplies fuel to the pilot light 6, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The valves 1 and 9 have stems II and I2, respectively, which extend upward beneath the casing I, and the combustion chamber- 3 to a point just beneath the grill 2 for ready manipulation or adjustment from Within the room.

An electrically controlled valve I3 may be provided within the pipe line 8, regulated or controlled from a thermostatic or time device I4, as will be described hereafter. If desired, a pressure regulator I5 may be provided also within the fuel line 8.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, the combustion chamber 3 is located in the mid-portion of the casing I with its sides spaced an appreciable distance from the sides of the casing. Extending laterally from opposite sides of the combustion chamber 3 are tubular conduits I6 terminating at their outer ends in radiators I1 with which they communicate. The products of combustion and heated air from within the combustion chamber 3 may circulate through the conduits I6 and into the radiators I1. The latter are provided with ducts I8 (Fig. 4) which open into breeching IS, extending transversely of and attached to a wall of the casing I (Fig. 3), which ydirects the heated air and products of combustion to a fuel vent pipe 20, thence to a point outside the house or building.

It will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 4 that the radiators I1 are constructed substantially in boxlike form and are spaced respectively from the adjacent Walls of the combustion chamber 3 and the casing I, being connected with the combustion chamber through the conduits I6. The

space between the top of each radiator I1 and the adjacent wall of the casing is closed by a baille 22 or 22', which bailies are secured upon the radiators and extend outwardly therefrom. Thus the air from the grill passes downward around the combustion chamber 3 between the same and the radiators I1, beneath the bottoms of the radiators and upward on the respective outer sides lthereof, the air being prevented from passing around the ends of the radiators I1 by the vertical baffles 2I.

Extending through the radiators I1 telescoped with the conduits I6 are inner conduits 23 which extend into the combustion chamber 3, terminating in a heating chamber 24 located within the combustion chamber 3. The lower side of the heating chamber 24 is reinforced and protected by a plate 25 slightly spaced therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to prevent the bottom of the heating chamber from becoming extremely hot and being burned out due to its proximity with the burner 4.

Located within the heating chamber 24 is a l fan 26 carried by a shaft 21, which extends axially through the conduits 23 and is mounted in bearings 28 spaced outwardly from the radiators I1 on supports 29 carried thereby. This external mounting of the bearings for the fan locates them substantially outside the area of the intense heat whereby they are not subjected thereto and are maintained in a relatively cool condition. Vent tubes 30 may be provided also, if desired, extending downward from the bafiles 22 and 22 through which they communicate with the source of cool air thereabove for directing the same onto the bearings 28.

The fan shaft 21 carries a pulley 3I on one end thereof connected through a belt 32 with a pulley 33 mounted on the armature shaft of an electric motor 34'or driven from any other suitable source of power. The motor 34 is shown as resiliently mounted on a bracket 35 which is suspended by a spring bar 36 at one side and by springs 31 at the opposite sides so as to keep the belt 32 under tension and to reduce vibration.

The motor 34 is controlled by a switch 38 which regulates its connection with an electric power line 39 lFig. 4l. Also connected therewith is shown an auxiliary control circuit 4U containing a fusible alloy link 4I at the switch 38, a transformer 42, and the electrically controlled valve I3 and control device I4 described above, whereby the operation of the motor may be regulated thermostatically or in timed relation with the primary control for the burner.

When the motor is operating, the fan 26 will suck the air downward through the grill 2, around the radiators I1 and into the conduits 23 to the fan. The rotation of the fan 26 causes the air to be discharged through a hot air passageway 43 (Fig. 3) leading to the desired points or point in the house or building where the heated air is discharged for warming the same. When the heater is used in a house having several rooms the passageway 43 should be connected with the duct system leading thereto for conveying the heated air into the respective rooms for recircula tion through the grill or openings back to the heater. It will be evident that the grill 2 may be placed in the oor of the room to which the heat is to be supplied and it is preferred that such a grill be located in each room of the house and connected through a suitable conduit system with the upper portion of the casing I ior returning the cool air thereto. However, it is not essential that the grill be located in the room to which the heat is supplied, as the cool air will find its way back to the heater even though the return grills are not provided in the rooms to which the conduits lead and discharge, preferably from register openings in the wall.

A removable cap 44 preferably provided with a transparent window is mounted on the top of the combustion chamber 3 through which a lighter torch may be introduced for lighting the burner 4 or the pilot 6, as desired.

The heater may be provided also with the usual humidifying pan 45 thereon.

I claim:

1. A hot air heater comprising a casing having a grill over the top thereof adapted for disposal at the floor line, a combustion chamber in said casing and having a heating chamber disposed therein, a conduit extending laterally from said combustion chamber for products of combustion, and an air conduit communicating with the grill and receiving air therefrom, said air conduit extending through the first-mentioned conduit to the heating chamber and connected therewith for directing said air from the grill into said heating chamber.

2. A hot air heater comprising a combustion chamber having a heating chamber therein, a hot air radiator spaced from said combustion chamber, a tubular connecting conduit extending laterally from the combustion chamber to the radiator in open communication therewith, a tubular air conduit extending through the Vcadiator and telescoped with the first-mentioned conduit and connected with the heating chamber and in communication therewith, and means for supplying air through said tubular air conduit to the heating chamber. v

3. An air heater comprising a combustion chamber having a heating chamber therein, an elongated tubular conduit extending laterally from said combustion chamber and with its inner end open to said combustion chamber, a second tubular air conduit extending substantially through the iirst-mentioned conduit lengthwise thereof to the heating chamber and in'communication therewith, and means for supplying air longitudinally through said second conduit to the heating chamber, said second air conduit having the periphery thereof substantially spaced from the rst-mentioned air conduit for discharge of products of combustion therebetween.

4. A hot air heater comprising a casing, a combustion chamber mounted in the casing and having a heating chamber therein separate from said combustion chamber, a hot air radiator within the casing and spaced from the combustion chamber, a connecting conduit extending from the combustion chamber to the radiator in open communication therewith, means for directing air between the radiator and combustion chamber, and an air conduit extending through the radiator and first-mentioned conduit and in open communication with the heating chamber, said air conduit being open at its opposite end to the exterior of the radiator for directing said air into the heating chamber after passage between the radiator and combustion chamber.

5. A hot air heater comprising a casing, a combustion chamber in the casing and having a burner therein, a hot air radiator in the casing spaced from the combustion chamber, a conduit connecting the radiator with the combustion chamber and in open communication therewith for directing products of combustion from within the combustion chamber into the radiator for discharge therefrom. a heating chamber within the combustion chamber and separate therefrom, an air conduit extending through the first-mentioned conduit approximately'concentric therewith and through the radiator with an end open externally of the radiator and the opposite end in open communication with the heating chamber for directing air thereto, and means for directing air between the radiator and combustion chamber and around the latter into the open end o! the air`conduit.

t 6. A hot air heater comprising a casing, a combustion chamber in the casing and having a burner therein, a hot air radiator in the casing spaced from the combustion chamber, a conduit connecting the radiator with -the combustion chamber and in open communication therewith for directing products of combustion from within the combustion chamber into the radiator for discharge therefrom, a heating chamber within the combustion chamber and separate therefrom, an air conduit extending through the rst-mentioned conduit approximately concentric therewith and through the radiator with an end open externally of the radiator and the opposite end in open communication with the heating chamber for directing air thereto, means for directing air between the radiator and combustion chamber and around the latter into the open end of the air conduit, and a fan operatively mounted within the heating chamber in position to receive air from the air conduit andhavingA a lateral point of discharge from the heating chamber.

7. A hot air heater comprising a combustion chamber having a heating chamber mounted therein, radiators spaced laterally on opposite sides of the combustion chamber, tubular connecting conduits extending laterally respectively from the combustion chamber to the radiators and in open communication therewith, and air conduits extending through said connecting conduits and through the radiators to the heating chamber with the inner ends thereof in open communication therewith, the outer ends of said air conduits being in open communication with the exterior of the radiators for directingair therethrough to the heating chamber.

8. A hot air heater comprising a combustion chamber having a heating chamber therein, radiators spaced laterally on opposite sidesof the combustion chamber, connecting conduits extending from said combustion chamber to the respective radiators and in open communication therewith, air conduits extending through the connecting conduits concentrically therewith to the heating chamber with the inner ends in open communication therewith, the outer ends of said air conduits extending to the periphery of the radiators and being open for the passage of air therethrough, and means for directing air between the radiators and the combustion chamber and around the radiators into the air conduits for passage to lthe heating chamber.

9. An air heater comprising a combustion chamber having an exhaust pipe leading therefrom for products of combustion, a central air heating chamber within the combustion chamber, a casing surrounding the exhaust pipe, an air conduit within the exhaust pipe extending lengthwise thereof and in communication with the air heating chamber and with a space between the casing and the exhaust pipe, and means for forcing air through the space between thecasing and the exhaust pipe in contact with a substantial portion of the outer wall thereof and into the air conduit thence to the heating chamber.

10. An air heater comprising a casing having a cold air inlet and a warm air outlet, a combustion chamber within the casing, a central air heating chamber within the combustion 'chamber, an exhaust conduit connected at one end' with the combustion chamber and extending laterally therefrom for discharge of products of combustion, said casing having a preheating chamber therein beside the exhaust conduit and in heat exchange relation therewith, an inner air conduit extending lengthwise through said exhaust conduit and substantially spaced from the walls thereof, said air conduit having means of communication with the central heating chamber and with the preheating chamber respectively, and means for circulating air from the cold air inlet through the preheating chamber, and into and through the air conduit to the central heating chamber for heating and discharge through the outlet.

PAUL P. SCHEU'RER. 

